GENETIC DIVERSITY OF AN ENIGMATIC AQUIFER SPECIES FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, THE GEORGIA BLIND SALAMANDER (EURYCEA WALLACEI)

Many groundwater-dwelling animals are of conservation concern due to small geographic ranges, but sampling of these species is often restricted to a few access points into aquifers (i.e., caves, springs, and wells). Here, we test for patterns of genetic diversity in the Georgia blind salamander (Eurycea wallacei), a species endemic to the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA) of southwestern Georgia and northern Florida. We conducted phylogenetic and population-level analyses to evaluate divergence, genetic isolation, and effective population size within E. wallacei. Based on mtDNA, we found two divergent lineages within this species; however, all sampled localities were non-monophyletic, and a high frequency of haplotype sharing was found, even among localities in separate drainages. Likewise, multi-locus nuclear DNA suggested high levels of admixture among localities. An analysis of molecular variance suggested genetic groupings that were not partitioned by sampled locality. These results may reflect historical fragmentation and secondary admixture within the UFA.